Paula Linnen

Paula Linnen serves as the Associate Laboratory Director for Organizational Development (OD) at PNNL, a role she has held since October 2007. She leads an organization that integrates efforts across multiple business areas—communications; marketing communications; human resources; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, education—to advance and achieve PNNL mission outcomes.

Every day, Paula and the talented staff in OD focus on creating and maintaining a strong sense of community and belief in the PNNL mission, vision and values among more than 4,300 PNNL staff members and a rich array of external stakeholders. Together, they develop and deliver programs that accelerate impact and advance and protect PNNL's reputation; recruit, retain, develop, and engage the talented workforce needed to tackle the nation's greatest challenges; and help prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, innovators and leaders.

Paula is a member of the PNNL Executive Committee. Through the efforts of her team, PNNL has realized a number of awards and distinctions:

The "Golden Apple" Award for Excellence in Education from KCTS Channel 9 presented to the Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform(LASER) that is co-led by PNNL (2013)

"Five-Star Award" from the Federal Government Distance Learning Association (2011)

The "President's Award" from the Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP) in recognition of PNNL's partnership with the AWSP and for its Foundation in STEM Leadership Training for School Administrators and Teachers in Washington State (2011)

Since joining PNNL in 1991, Paula has served in a number of roles including Director of Human Resources (HR) from 1996 to 2007, Vice President of HR for the Global Laboratory Operations sector of Battelle, and numerous other program and department managerial roles.

Paula values service to community and has assumed a number of professional leadership roles throughout her career: current committee member, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) National Accelerator Laboratory Board of Overseers; current board member, Washington State STEM Education Foundation; current board member and academic committee chair, Heritage University; past board member, March of Dimes; past board chair, Columbia Industries; past board member, Advisory Council for Washington State University Tri-Cities; and past vice chair, Pioneer Circle for Women Helping Women, and Tri-Cities Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Managers. Paula has been the recipient of the Benton-Franklin County Volunteer Center's "Golden Heart Award" for volunteer excellence of a board member and the ATHENA Leadership Award® for supporting, honoring and developing women leaders, an award recognized nationally through the Chambers of Commerce.

Paula holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Missouri.